解禁 (jiě jìn) — to lift a ban, to remove a restriction

Definition

A formal verb meaning 'to lift a ban' on something that was officially prohibited (imports, weapons, content). Distinct from 解除 (jiěchú), which removes a broader range of restrictions, limits, or duties.

verb
to lift a banto remove a restriction

Examples

  • 解禁。
    Zhèng fǔ zuó tiān zhèng shì jiě jìn le.
    The government officially lifted the ban yesterday.
  • ，。
    Zhè ge guī dìng gāng jiě le jìn, xiàn zài yòu jìn zhǐ le.
    This regulation was just lifted, and now it's banned again.
  • ，。
    Jiě guò jǐ cì jìn yǐ hòu, dà jiā yǐ jīng bú zài yì le.
    After the ban was lifted several times, people no longer care.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

解jiělift
禁jìnban

解 means lift or remove and 禁 means ban, so the word means removing a prohibition.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

解 shows 刀 (knife) separating 角 (horn) from 牛 (cow), giving the picture of cutting up an ox.

Open 解 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
示示shìaltar
Sound part声符shēngfú
林
林lín禁jìn
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

禁 has 林 above 示, an altar. The 林 part gives the sound, and the altar part connects the character to taboo or restricted matters.

Open 禁 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.